In the middle of the nineteenth century the second great awakening, a religious reform movement began to take place along with a few other new reforms such as temperance, abolition, suffrage, and literacy and art changes, throughout the United States. With this new religious revival traditional Christian beliefs were no longer as favorable among Americans. This awakening was a seeming continuation of the great Awakening that took place in the early eighteenth century; these new ideas had more feelings or personal piety as opposed to schooling and traditional beliefs. As spoken be one of the most influential men of the movement, Charles G. Finney, religion began to put emphasis on the ability of individuals to change their lives and achieve personal salvation. New ideas began to spawn into other social reform groups and people began to use their new beliefs to create a new wave of change in society. People began to believe in the teachings of many such as Charles Finney and William Miller. The new tactics of recruitment were unprecedented and thus more people were converted than ever before.
Causes:
Increase in the belief of Universalism and Unitarianism.
Many citizens of America stopped attending church in the late 1700's. People began to believe that God didn't play an important role in their lives. People believed that God was not concerned with a person's church attendance, rather the way he or she lives their life on Earth. Many religious faiths then sponsored religious revivals.
The American Revolution detached churches from the government making them more independent, It weakened traditional forms of religious practice, and it raised ideas about individual liberty and reason.
Some people started to believe in "Deism". Deism- believing in God but thought of him as a remote being who created the universe but stopped being involved in it.
Books were written attacking religious superstitions.
Goal of the Movement:
The goal of this movement was for people throughout the country to learn about the traditional Christian
Camp Meeting
beliefs that had disappeared in the 18th century. The revival was emphasized on humans' dependence on God. Another goal was for these people to spread the Word of God and the message of salvation throughout the country. Another goal for these revivals was to stir religious feelings in the people. it also wanted to encouraged people to return to God. Americans should dedicate their lives to God and to living in a Godly manner. A desire to reform America also arose among the people. Attempts to limit alcohol consumption and to abolish slavery came directly out of the Second Great Awakening and its message.
Tactics/Strategies:
Leaders of different faiths held camp meetings
People of interest would spend days hearing the Word of God from different religious leaders.
Camp Meetings- gatherings of thousands of people to engage in spirtual exercise lead by Methodists and Baptists priests.
Protracted Meetings- gatherings held once a year in which they would preach two or three times a day for a couple of weeks.
"Anxious Bench"- people who sought guidance would sit on the front bench and would be counseled by newly converted Christians. Once someone had gone through the experience of conversion they would join the rank and counsel the unconverted.
Successes and Failures:
The Second Great Awakening possessed many qualities that based on perspective made it both successful and unsuccessful. With the newly found emphasis on human beings, Religion offered almost a bit of steadfastness in an era of huge economic change. This made this movement a huge success. For example, after the building of the Erie Canal the economy was booming, many people saw a new religion as an ample way to start a new life. New lifestyles, such as that of the Evangelists placed an equal value on both men and women many new doors and ideas were opened. This drew many more to the new religion. As a result, social activism, the intent of bringing about social change, was brought about.
Camp meeting in Cane Ridge
This religious revival spawned new groups such as abolition groups, temperance, and suffrage groups. A society as a whole was inspired by these fresh ways of life, such as Dorthea Dix, who committed her life to assisting the handicapped and mentally ill. William Miller offered the idea of the second coming of Christ and brought upon a following of one hundred thousand. Finney offered salvation to anyone who went through faith and good works. This drew hundreds to the new religion. All these new ideas presented the society as it was known with a chance to create an unmarked new society making this revival in its respect, a successful one. While overall this reform was one of great accomplishment there were some downfalls. For example many still opposed this new abrupt change within society and found their old ways and traditions more comforting, while these new changes were frowned upon. Rochester was a growing town with population growth and new trade. Charles Finney saw that people in this new town were looking for a change in their lifestyle. By preaching that there is no predestination, the citizens were able to undergo a change in their lifestyle by converting. Key Figures:
Timothy Dwight: Timothy Dwight was the president of Yale who preached to young students from the Bible.
Charles Grandison Finney: Charles Grandison Finney was one of the key leaders during The Second Great Awakening. He arrived on the scene in late 1825. Finney was a great leader and knew how to stir up the public. With his great people skills and strong belief in religion, he put The Second Great Awakening onto the center-stage in America.
Lyman Beecher: Lyman Beecher was a prominent pastor who believed in civic morality and the Christian religion. Through his many sermons and tracts, he inspired many people to take part in religious voluntary associations and encouraged moral reform.
Timothy Dwight, Lyman Beecher, and Nathaniel Tyler tried to revise Calvinism to appeal to a younger generation that had lost faith.
Thomas Paine: wrote the novel " The Age of Reason" it declared that Christianity was the strongest religion ever set up.
Alexander Campbell: believed that adherence to the new testament Christianity would hasten the millenial age. He and his followers became the Disciples of Christ.
William Miller: predicted the second coming of Christ to be October 22, 1844
Joseph Smith: Translated Book of Mormon from "reformed" egyptian.
Key Events:
Cane Ridge: This gathering at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, in 1801, attracted almost 20,000 people. Persons of all ages, representing various cultures and economic levels traveled on foot and on horseback to this great event. These people included Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist ministers who took part in the services. The gathering was important creating the Restoration Movement, in which such churches committed to the New Testament, and achieved a personal relationship with Christ. This movement went on to consist of many different large meeting that enhanced the Second Great Awakening.
The first camp meeting took place in July 1800 at Gasper River Church in southwestern Kentucky to intrigue others about this powerful movement.
On October 22, 1844, William Miller pronounced a Biblical interpretation of the Second Coming of Christ, which attracted a following or around 100,000. Here, many followers learned and became more interested in religion.
Timothy Dwight
The Great Disappointment: William Millers pronounced second coming of Christ did not occur. Although the believers did not witness the second coming of Christ, many still maintained their beliefs and eventually became Advent Christians.
2) “The Oberlin Evangelist” Charles G. Finney January 1, 1839 http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Fellowship/Finney.Oberlin.Evangelist.html Finney expresses his happiness in being known as the Spiritual leader of the time period. He wrote this speech to all who had been converted during the “great revival”. Finney even signs this letter as “A Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ”.
3) "Tricks of Revivalists Exposed" Walter Balfour April 17, 1831 http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform/resources/tricks-revivalists-exposed Walter Balfour describes his feeling towards religious converters. He goes on to explain how revivalists put on sad faces and scare you into converting to their religion. They tell you that you are a sinner and will be damned to hell if you do not change your ways and add their religion to your daily life. Balfour is against revivalists and does not feel that they have the right to do such things.
Bibliography:
Finney, Charles Grandison (1792-1875)." American Eras. Vol. 6: Westward Expansion, 1800-1860. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 164-165. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. High School. 10 Nov. 2009 [[http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?pGVRL&u
Brinkley, Alan. American History. 11th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2003. 951. Print.
"Charles Grandison Finney & the Second Phase of the Second Great Awakening." Christian History & Biography. July 1, 1989. Christian Today International, Web. 17 Nov 2009. <http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/1989/issue23/2329.html>.
The Religious Revival
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Summary of the Religious Reform Movement:
In the middle of the nineteenth century the second great awakening, a religious reform movement began to take place along with a few other new reforms such as temperance, abolition, suffrage, and literacy and art changes, throughout the United States. With this new religious revival traditional Christian beliefs were no longer as favorable among Americans. This awakening was a seeming continuation of the great Awakening that took place in the early eighteenth century; these new ideas had more feelings or personal piety as opposed to schooling and traditional beliefs. As spoken be one of the most influential men of the movement, Charles G. Finney, religion began to put emphasis on the ability of individuals to change their lives and achieve personal salvation. New ideas began to spawn into other social reform groups and people began to use their new beliefs to create a new wave of change in society. People began to believe in the teachings of many such as Charles Finney and William Miller. The new tactics of recruitment were unprecedented and thus more people were converted than ever before.
Causes:
Increase in the belief of Universalism and Unitarianism.
Many citizens of America stopped attending church in the late 1700's. People began to believe that God didn't play an important role in their lives. People believed that God was not concerned with a person's church attendance, rather the way he or she lives their life on Earth. Many religious faiths then sponsored religious revivals.
Goal of the Movement:
The goal of this movement was for people throughout the country to learn about the traditional Christian
Camp Meeting
beliefs that had disappeared in the 18th century. The revival was emphasized on humans' dependence on God. Another goal was for these people to spread the Word of God and the message of salvation throughout the country. Another goal for these revivals was to stir religious feelings in the people. it also wanted to encouraged people to return to God. Americans should dedicate their lives to God and to living in a Godly manner. A desire to reform America also arose among the people. Attempts to limit alcohol consumption and to abolish slavery came directly out of the Second Great Awakening and its message.
Tactics/Strategies:Successes and Failures:
The Second Great Awakening possessed many qualities that based on perspective made it both successful and unsuccessful. With the newly found emphasis on human beings, Religion offered almost a bit of steadfastness in an era of huge economic change. This made this movement a huge success. For example, after the building of the Erie Canal the economy was booming, many people saw a new religion as an ample way to start a new life. New lifestyles, such as that of the Evangelists placed an equal value on both men and women many new doors and ideas were opened. This drew many more to the new religion. As a result, social activism, the intent of bringing about social change, was brought about.Key Figures:
Timothy Dwight: Timothy Dwight was the president of Yale who preached to young students from the Bible.
Key Events:
Cane Ridge: This gathering at Cane Ridge, Kentucky, in 1801, attracted almost 20,000 people. Persons of all ages, representing various cultures and economic levels traveled on foot and on horseback to this great event. These people included Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist ministers who took part in the services. The gathering was important creating the Restoration Movement, in which such churches committed to the New Testament, and achieved a personal relationship with Christ. This movement went on to consist of many different large meeting that enhanced the Second Great Awakening.
The first camp meeting took place in July 1800 at Gasper River Church in southwestern Kentucky to intrigue others about this powerful movement.
On October 22, 1844, William Miller pronounced a Biblical interpretation of the Second Coming of Christ, which attracted a following or around 100,000. Here, many followers learned and became more interested in religion.
Timothy Dwight
Primary Sources:
1) A Narrative of the Visit to the American Churches (Book Excerpt)
Andrew Reed and James Matheson
1835
http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform/resources/description-camp-meeting-attendee
Reed and Matheson describe their experience at a camp meeting. They take you through the camp grounds and describe all the events that take place throughout the meeting.
2) “The Oberlin Evangelist”
Charles G. Finney
January 1, 1839
http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Fellowship/Finney.Oberlin.Evangelist.html
Finney expresses his happiness in being known as the Spiritual leader of the time period. He wrote this speech to all who had been converted during the “great revival”. Finney even signs this letter as “A Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ”.
3) "Tricks of Revivalists Exposed"
Walter Balfour
April 17, 1831
http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform/resources/tricks-revivalists-exposed
Walter Balfour describes his feeling towards religious converters. He goes on to explain how revivalists put on sad faces and scare you into converting to their religion. They tell you that you are a sinner and will be damned to hell if you do not change your ways and add their religion to your daily life. Balfour is against revivalists and does not feel that they have the right to do such things.
Bibliography:
Finney, Charles Grandison (1792-1875)." American Eras. Vol. 6: Westward Expansion, 1800-1860. Detroit: Gale, 1997. 164-165. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. High School. 10 Nov. 2009 [[http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?pGVRL&u
= = s0003]].=The Second Great Awakening ." Travel and History. Web. 15 Nov 2009. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1091.html.
Brinkley, Alan. American History. 11th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2003. 951. Print.
"Charles Grandison Finney & the Second Phase of the Second Great Awakening." Christian History & Biography. July 1, 1989. Christian Today International, Web. 17 Nov 2009. <http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/1989/issue23/2329.html>.
"Lyman Beecher." Action Institute. 2009. Action Institute, Web. 17 Nov 2009. <http://www.acton.org/publications/randl/rl_liberal_en_236.php>.
Brinkley, Alan. American History, A Survey. eleventh . I&II. New York, New York : McGraw-Hill, 2003. 318-341. Print.
"Second Great Awakening", Ohio History Central, July 1, 2005, http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1532
Scott, Donald. "Evangelicalism, Revivalism, and the Second Great Awakening." Teacher Serve (1996): n. pag. Web. 21 Nov 2010. <http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/nevanrev.htm
"Religion." Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Nov. 2010.
Links:
- http://www.economicexpert.com/a/Second:Great:Awakening.htm
- http://www.u-s-history.com/pahttp
- http://worldwidefreeresources.com/upload/CH320_T_27.pdf
- http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform/resources/jedediah-burchards-revival-sermon
- http://www.teachushistory.org/second-great-awakening-age-reform/resources/tricks-revivalists-exposed
- http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=1532
- http://books.google.com/books?id=CqmmEooUk9EC&dq=timothy+dwight+sermons&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=tRZ1QIFkLo&sig=MZEVfTmoXcBauIuUc0u5q8mwXVU&hl=en&ei=H1z8Sv29GMbDlAfmp5GNBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&ved=0CBYQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=&f=false